Heat exchanger for internal-combustion engines



May 5, 1953 A. c. BUFFUM HEAT EXCHANGER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Original Filed May 8, 1945 l I l 1 I I l I I l Hl l I l l l UH l l l l l l l l h l l l ldl l ln i unnv a H" H H I I I I l l I L lllllllllllllll l I l INVEN TOR. M C W KWM/(W y 1953 A. c. BUFFUM 2,637,305

HEAT EXCHANGER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed May 8, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 0 @QQQ I A m r,,

IN V EN TOR.

4 T TOP/VI Y5 Patented May 5, 1953 HEAT EXCHANGER FOB INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINES Albert C. Bulfum, Winchester, Mass, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Badger Manufacturing Company, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 30, 1950, Serial No. 152,867.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to heat exchange and distillation apparatus and is a division of my application Ser. No. 592,573 filed May 8, 1945 for Heat Exchange andI-Ieat Transfer Method and Apparatus. ratus in combination with an internal combustion engine for the accumulation and recovery of heat derived during operation of the engine and for the practical utilization of such heat.

It is a purpose of this invention to provide improved apparatus for utilizing heat generated during the operation of an internal combustion engine. It is a further purpose of this invention to provide improved apparatus for utilizing heat generated during the operation of an internal combustion engine in carrying out a distillation operation, particularly a distillation operation of the vapor compression type wherein vapor evolved from a solution in a vaporization chamher is compressed until its condensing temperature is above the boiling point of the solution in the vaporization chamber and. the compressed vapor is condensed in out-of-contact heat e?- change relation with the solution in the vaporization chamber.

In the operation of an ordinary liquid cooled internal combustion engine, the engine cooling liquid is directed through jacket means about the cylinder of the internal combustion engine where it is heated (thereby cooling th engine) and the liquid after having been heated is directed to a radiator, cool air being directed through the radiator so as to cool the engine cooling liquid before the liquid is returned to the engine jacket means. A large amount of the energy supplied by the fuel for the engine is wasted when the engine heat is thus dissipated to the atmosphere, and the total energy losses are even greater when power supplied by the engine is used to operate a fan or other blower for blowing air through the radiator to cool the engine cooling liquid.

It is a feature of the present invention that the engine cooling liquid, instead of being cooled after having become heated by heat generated during the operation of the engine, is further heated by heat exchange with the hot exhaust gases taken from the engine. In preferred embodiments of this invention the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine are directed through a heat exchanger arranged within a boiler reservoir, which boiler reservoir is maintained in communication with the cooling jacket of the internal combustion engine by appropriate passages so that the heat that is recovered in cooling the engine cylinders and that is recovered from the exhaust gases will be accumulated and cause It relates particularly to such appa vaporization of the engine cooling liquid in the boiler reservoir. The resulting vapor can then be taken off and fresh engine cooling liquid supplied as necessary. According to certain embodiments of the invention the engine cooling liquid is likewise heated by direct contact with the exhaust manifold of the engine.

Further purposes and features of this invention will be apparent in connection with the following description of certain embodiments thereof which are shown merely for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. l is a side elevation of heat accumulator apparatus according to this invention wherein part is broken away to show a portion thereof in section and wherein certain elements of the apparatus are shown schematically as arranged for use in carrying out a distillation operation of the vapor compression type, and

Fig. 2 is right hand end elevation of the engine heat accumulator with only a portion of the internal combustion engine shown and with the end exhaust gas head member removed.

In the apparatus shown in the drawing the internal combustion engine [0 is provided with a liquid containing jacket ll which is disposed for peripherially cooling the cylinders of the internal combustion engine. The jacket may be disposed about the side walls of the cylinders in the cylinder block or in the cylinder head, and in the ordinary construction of an internal combustion engine the jacket is disposed so as to cool both the side Walls and the head portion of the cylinders. The exhaust gases are emitted from the internal combustion engine through the outlets i2 and into the exhaust manifold it which is secured to the engine It by any suitable means not shown.

In the embodiment shown, the exhaust manifold I3 is disposed within a casing it which is made integral with the exhaust manifold as by Welding, The casing is adapted to contain a liquid, and the liquid that is contained in the casing is disposed for peripherially cooling the exhaust manifold and for becoming heated by the hot gases discharged from the engine through the exhaust manifold.

Attached as by welding to the upper face of the casing it is the boiler reservoir it. While the boiler reservoir 5 E is shown attached in faceto-face contact with the cas ng M fo O t heat exchange efficiency, this is not essential and reservoir it can be spaced apart from the easing I t if desired. The boiler reservoir I5 is adapted to contain engine cooling liquid. In order to afford free communication for liquid between the casing I 4 and the boiler reservoir I5 there are openings I6, I5 which provide passage means whereby liquid from the boiler reservoir I5 is directed to the casing I4 and the heated liquid in the casing I4 together with any vapor commingled therewith is directed to the boiler reservoir I5. Similarly line I! is arranged to direct liquid from the boiler reservoir I5 to the jacket II, and the line I S is arranged to direct liquid heated in jacket II and any vapor commineled therewith to the boiler reservoir I5.

Within the boiler reservoir I5 is a heat exchanger that is adapted to direct the hot'combustion gases in out-of-contact heat exchange relation with the liquid in the boiler reservoir I5. In the embodiment shown this heat exchanger is in the form of .a plurality of tubes I9 or other passages which extend horizontally from end to end of the boiler reservoir and are open ended to the exterior of the boiler reservoir. The exhaust gases are directed from the exhaust manifold to thetubes 1.9 by the head member -2-ll which can be secured in place by the bolts .21 and 22.. The tubes 1-9 at .the opposite end of the boiler reservoirmay be left open to the atmosphere orimay be covered with a head member 23 (which may also be .secuned in'place by the bolt 21) from which the exhaust gases "can be directed by a line 24 which can extend to any convenient place -;for venting the exhaust gases to the atmosphere.

The above described apparatus provides an engine heataccumulator and constitutes one of the features of'thisinvention. 2y employment of the described apparatus theheat'that is proparatus and the above describedxengine heat acr cumulator has been :shown in :the drawing, for illustrative purpose, as iorming part of distillation apparatus of the vapor compression type.

Th distillation apparatus shown in the drawing comprises a vaporizationchamber '25 from which vapors are-taken to the compressor .26 by the low pressure vapor line 21. The vapor that has been compressed by the compressor 11S directed to the condenser heatwexchalnger 2:8 by the compressed vapor line 29. The compressor is actuated by the internal. 'pombustion engine Ill through gearing 3ll-whic'h-may be employed if desired, and serves :topompress the-vapor withdrawn .from the-vaporization chamber until "its condensing temperature isabovethe-boiling point of the solution within the vaporization chamber.

The vapor that condenses in the :condenser heat exchanger .28 is taken on as condensate or distillate by the line3I The concentrated solution is removed from the vaporization chamber 25 by the line 32.

The fresh solution to be distilled is introduced into the system from any suitablesource'of'supply such as the supply tank 33 from which it is taken by the line 3! that-iscontrolled by the and the valves 31 and 39 in the lines 38 and 40 respectively being closed. Preferably, the incomingieedis preheated by out-of-contact counterflow heat exchange in preheater heat exchanger 42 with distillate removed from the condenser :heat exchanger 28 and with hot concentrated solution withdrawn from the vaporization chamber 25. If desired, the extent of preheating the feed can be subject to control by regulating the amount of hot concentrated solution that is passed through the preheater heat exchanger by regulation of the valves 43 and 43 in the lines 32 and 32' respectively.

According to preferred practice of this invention a portion of the distillate is taken from the distillate draw off line 31 by the line H controlled by the valve 45 to the boiler reservoir and the quantity of distillate taken to the boiler reservoir i5 is substantially in excess of the quantity of the distillate that can be converted into vapor by the heat recovered from the internal combustion engine. In such .case the boiler reservoir operates in a flooded condition and the unva-porized distillate together with vapor formed by reason of recovery of engine heat by the engine heat accumulator is taken by the line 43 so that it will reenter the con- -denser heat exchanger :28 wherein the vapor is condensed and gives up its heat. (The float valve 39 and the pressure release valve 52, described below, in such ,case can be omit-ted and the valve 53 in the line 5.4 -will be closed, the valve .56 being open.)

For directing ,a portion of the distillate to the boiler reservoir to act as engine cooling liquid any suitable arrangement may be shown. When the main portion of the distillate is directed through :a pr-cheater heat exchanger such as the preheat-er heat exchanger 42 and when there .is substantial frictional resistance to the flow of the distillate through the preheater heat exchanger, a pump 46 can conveniently be employed in the line BI so asto force the distillate through the preheater heat exchanger and in such case there will be suificient back pressure developed so that by regulation of thevalve 45 a desired quantity of distillate can be caused to flow through the line M to the boiler reservoir. Alternatively a pump '47 may :be placed in the line 44 and the pump '48 omitted, or both of the pumps 46 and 41 may be used. Ordinarily it is regarded as preferable to omit the pump 47 and to "employ the pump 46.

It is apparent that by utilizing the apparatus above described-the engine heat that is recovered from the internal combustion engine by the engine heat accumulator, is transferred to the vaporization chamber of the distillation unit using engine cooling liquid as the heat transferring medium. It is also apparent that this result is achieved by use of a portion of the distillate recovered from the condenser heat exchanger, this portion of the distillate being in effect indefinitely recycled in a closed circuit. By maintaining the quantity of the distillate in excess of that which is vaporized due to the heat recovered from the internal combustion '5 engine, the system automatically compensates for any variations in the action of the internal combustion engine and the operating parts of the apparatus are extremely simple.

The operation of the above described apparatus may be illustrated in connection with a typical distillation operation involving the recovery of distilled water from sea water. Fresh solution (raw sea water) is fed into the system as the rate of about 1225 pounds per hour. The recovered distillate amounts to 625 pounds per hour and the concentrated solution that is discharged amounts to 600 pounds per hour. About 3.6 pounds per hour of gasoline are furnished to the internal combustion engine and upon combustion supply about 68,500 B. t. u. per hour. When an internal combustion engine of normal efficiency is used, the mechanical energy supplied to the compressor 25 corresponds to about 17,000 B. t. u. per hour. The balance is waste heat which in conventional equipment is dissipated to the atmosphere, and when a mechanically operated fan is employed to blow air through a radiator to cool the engine cooling liquid, the mechanical energy that can be supplied to the compressor 25 is reduced below the figure just given. According to the present invention these large losses in energy supplied by the fuel consumed in the operation of the internal combustion engine are prevented to a very great extent. Thus, according to the example above mentioned 60 pounds per hour of distillate are taken by the line 45 to the engine heat accumulator. In the engine heat accumulator about 18,000 E. t. u. per hour are recovered from the engine jacket and about 27,600 B. t. u. per hour are recovered by heat exchange with the hot exhaust gases. The recovered engine heat causes vaporization of the distillate so that there flows through the line 48 to the condenser heat exchanger 28 about 48 pounds per hour of steam and about 12 pounds per hour of water which has not been converted into steam in the engine heat accumulator. The steam condenses in the condenser heat exchanger 28 and gives up its heat to the solution in the vaporization chamber 25 so that the 60 pounds per hour of distillate is reintroduced into the distillate stream flowing from the condenser heat exchanger 28 and can be recycled again through the engine heat accumulator. It is to be noted that the heat losses from the heat supply by the fuel consumed by the internal combustion engine has been reduced from about 51,500 E. t. 1.1. per hour or greater to about 5,900 B. t. u. per hour and that the recovered engine heat has been put to useful service in efiecting the distillation operation.

In the above described operation the vapor supplied to the condenser heat exchanger 28 from the boiler reservoir should be at a pressure such that its condensing temperature will be above the boiling point of the solution in the vaporization chamber. This can be insured in any suitable way as by the action of either or both of the pumps 46 and 4'? above described.

If desired the system can be operated so that all of the distillate that is taken from the line 3! by the line 44 is vaporized before being returned to the condenser heat exchanger 28. This can be readily accomplished by the employment of the float valve 49 for controlling the flow of distillate to the boiler reservoir l5 so as to be merely sufiicient to compensate for the liquid that is vaporized in the engine heat accumulator and the resulting vapor, unmixed with unvaporized liquid, would. be directed by the line 48 to the condenser heat exchanger 28.

If it is desired to utilize the heat contained in the vapor that is produced by vaporization of engine cooling liquid in the engine heat accumulator for the purpose of supplying the heat recovered from the engine without, however, commingling the condensed vapor with the distillate produced in the condenser heat exchanger 28, the vapor generated in the engine heat accumulator can be brought into out-of-contact heat exchange relation with solution within the vaporization chamber 25 in other ways as by closing the valve 56 and opening the valve 53 in line 54 which leads to the coil 57 within the vaporization chamber, the coil 5! serving as an independent condenser heat exchanger. The condensate formed in the coil 5'! can be returned to the boiler reservoir is by the line 58 using a pump 59 if desired. In such case the distillate taken off from line 3! by line l4 would merely act as make up liquid to compensate for any liquid losses from the heat accumulator circuits. Alternatively, the make up liquid could be supplied from. an independent source, e. g. when the engine cooling liquid is a liquid other than the distillate formed in the condenser heat exchanger 28. For such uses the boiler reservoir may be maintained flooded or with a constant liquid level maintained therein as above described.

The engine heat accumulator can be used in ways other than those which have been described above. For example, the engine heat accumulator can be employed to assist in preheating all or a portion of the incoming feed as disclosed in the Kleinschmidt Patent No. 2,280,093. Thus by opening valve 31 in line 58 and partially opening the valve 4| (the valve 39 being closed) a portion of the incoming feed can be diverted so as to pass through the coil 50 in the upper portion of the boiler reservoir 15 and so as to become preheated. The portion of the feed preheated in coil 50 is then directed by line 5! back to the main feed line M where it is commingled with the portion of the incoming feed that is preheated in the preheater heat exchanger 42. Alternatively, by closing the valves 3'! and 4| and opening the valve 35 the incoming feed can be directed in series through the preheater heat exchanger 12 and through the coil 50.

When the engine heat recovered by the engine heat accumulator is used to preheat the incoming feed as above described all or substantially all of the recovered heat can be utilized in this way. In such case the coil 5!! acts as a condenser to condense the vapor produced in the boiler reservoir iii. In such an installation it is usually desirable to provide a safety valve to prevent creation of excessive pressures in the boiler reservoir and for this purpose a one way pressure relief valve 52 can be placed in the line 68 and any vented vapor will pass to the condenser heat exchanger 28. Alternatively if the amount and temperature of the incoming feed is insufiicient to condense all of the vapor produced in the engine heat accumulator any excess vapor can be continuously vented from the boiler reservoir l5 through the line 48, the pressure relief valve 52 being adjusted to maintain a desired back pressure or being omitted. When the engine heat accumulator is employed to preheat incoming feed, the boiler reservoir is normally operated so as to maintain the liquid level therein constant as hereinabove described so that the coil 50 will be in the vapor space above the .liquid level. However, the method of operation wherein the boiler reservoir is kept flooded mayalso be employed, although in such case it is essential that excess liquid or liquid commingled with. any vapor that is formed'be permittedto escape from the boiler reservoir as by the line 48.

While this invention has been described inconnection with specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this has been done merely for illustrative purposes. Accordingly the practice of this invention may be varied Within the scope thereof defined by the language of the following claims.

vternal combustion engine in out-o.f-contact heat exchange relation with liquid within said boiler reservoir to supply heat to the liquid within said reservoir, an exhaust manifold between said internal combustion engine and-said boiler reservoir, a liquid-containing casing disposed for peripheral cooling of said exhaust manifold, means for directing liquid from said boiler reservoir into said casing, and means for directing heated liquid from said easing into said boiler reservoir.

2. An engine heat accumulator comprising in combination with an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, a liquid-containing casing disposed for peripheral. cooling of saidexhaust manifold, a liquid-contaming boiler reservoir carried by and above said casing, passage means between said casing and said reservoir providing inter-communication for the liquid between said casing and said boiler reservoir, a heat exchanger within said boiler reservoir, means for directing exhaust gases from said exhaust manifold through said heat exchanger in out-of-contact heat exchange relation with solution within said boiler reservoir, liquid-containing jacket means disposed for peripheral cooling of the cylinders of said internal combustion engine, passage means between said jacket means and said boiler reservoir providing inter-communication for liquid between said jacket means and said boiler reservoir, means for feeding enginecooling liquid to said boiler reservoir, and means for directing vapor from said reservoir.

ALBERT C. BUFFUM.

References Cited in the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,495,088 Larson May 20, 1924 1,529,070 Lea. Mar. 10, 1925 1,827,113 Sanftlebcn Oct. 13, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 150,004 Germany of 1904 525,637 Germany of 1931 353,613 France oi 1905 95,448 Switzerland July 17, 1922 111,854 Switzerland of 1925 

